News: First Lady Melania Trump will be on Capitol Hill this week, making a rare visit to meet with lawmakers and promote foster care efforts.
The first lady will be speaking at a closed-door roundtable Wednesday at 2 p.m. with members of the House Ways and Means Committee. The bipartisan meeting will also include witnesses from the foster care system.
Melania Trump has been leading initiatives aiding children and young adults in and transitioning out of foster care. Proposals meant to improve the foster care system and boost adoption have also been a priority for House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
The committee is pushing for a package of bills to modernize the Chafee program, which helps foster youth transition to adulthood. The measures would boost access to housing, expand education and training vouchers and provide more legal services. Each bill is led by both a Republican and Democrat on the panel, improving their chances of moving forward this year.
The first lady’s visit could bolster the House’s efforts. It also comes on the heels of Melania Trump’s surprise comments last week calling on Congress to look deeper into public figures with ties to Jeffrey Epstein. She also slammed “false” claims that she had ties to Epstein.
